Water Mage in the Flame Realm

Spring.

The Spring of the Flame Realm, to summarize in one phrase, is like the "midsummer" from the modern world before Andrew traveled here.

Blazing sunlight poured down.

It covered the entire city of "Shield of Flowing Fire".

In the city, on a large tree outside the Warm Fire Temple, a "fire-winged cicada," indigenous to the Flame Realm, was emitting an endless chorus of cicada sounds.

Andrew, over in Warm Fire City, was preparing for the Royal Court journey, striving to establish the Magic Production Line before departing. Meanwhile, the Shield of Flowing Fire was daily receiving wave after wave of injured soldiers from the front lines at the "Crimson Battle Lance," transferring them to the Warm Fire Temple for treatment.

Inside the Warm Fire Temple at this moment.

A young injured soldier gulped nervously, staring at the beautiful young nurse beside his bed.

The young nurse, experienced and professional, was holding a syringe filled with a unique orange-red liquid, emitting small, brilliant red light specks.

"You've already eaten the Snickers, right? After this shot, you'll be fine."

As she spoke, the nurse dexterously inserted the needle into the young soldier's well-defined deltoid muscle.

The young soldier's face twisted violently, and he burst out with a pained scream: "Ah... aaaah! Be gentle... be gentle! You must have hit my bone, ah, you hit my marrow! I'm going to die from this pain!"

"Shut up! Be quiet, will you?" The nurse withdrew the syringe, displeased, "You're exaggerating! Out of the batch of soldiers sent back from the front lines, you guys have the lightest injuries! What are you screaming about?"

This was the truth.

After all, when the front line battles ended, the most severely injured were sent back first.

Those being sent back now weren't as critically injured.

"I... I'm afraid of needles." The young soldier blushed, stubbornly insisting, "And I really think you hit my bone."

The nurse was a bit annoyed, rolled her eyes: "Are you questioning my professional skills?" Seeing the soldier still wanting to argue, she impatiently waved her hand, "Alright, alright, let's say I hit your bone, just do me a favor and stop talking."

With that, she nodded towards a bed nearby: "Look at them! They were in the first group sent back after the battle, much more severely injured than you! That one was my responsibility too, and they never complained about the needle hitting a bone."

The young soldier couldn't help but turn his head.

On the bed by the window sat a silent young man, somewhat lost in thought, seemingly listening to the constant chirping of cicadas.

The nurse claimed that the youth "had injuries ten times worse than yours when first brought in," and the young soldier didn't doubt this at all.

Even now, the young man was wrapped in layers and layers of bandages, exuding a strong, almost pungent, medicinal smell!

The youth's right ear bore a small, blood-red earring.

Looking at the young man, the young soldier turned back with a bitter face: "Him? I could never compare to him! I'm just a new recruit temporarily drafted to the front lines; that guy can go one-on-one against the Magic Guild's Saintess on the battlefield!

He... he's Orleans!"

Yes, the bandaged, earring-wearing, and silent young man gazing out the window was Orleans, who was originally going to the Royal Court with Barbara but had to recuperate due to being severely injured by the Magic Saintess Capella, leading to Andrew taking his place.

After being injured on the front lines, Orleans was in the first batch sent back to the Shield of Flowing Fire.

However, the nurse was slightly mistaken: Orleans was actually in the second most injured group. The most severely injured couldn't even endure the jostling of the Magic Airship, and had to remain at the "Crimson Battle Lance," waiting for the arrival of old medication to reach the front lines. Among them, the most notable figure was naturally the general manager of the frontline battlefield, Peter.

Orleans knew that compared to teacher Peter, he was considered lightly injured.

This wasn't the first time he was sent to the Warm Fire Temple for treatment.

To Orleans, everything about the Warm Fire Temple was so familiar.

But this time, there were some new changes at the temple.

For example... Snickers.

The Snickers made by Andrew had become a standard at the Warm Fire Temple, widely used in treatment.

After personally experiencing the rapid physical replenishment offered by Snickers, and the noticeably better efficacy of other conventional Healing Magic following the consumption of Snickers, Orleans couldn't help but repeatedly recall the battle lost to Capella.

He sincerely felt that with a Snickers at the time, perhaps the outcome would have favored him instead of Capella.

"Excuse me..."

Orleans finally turned his head after staring out the window for a long time, "When can I leave the temple? I feel like I'm almost recovered."

Upon hearing this, before the nurse could respond, the young soldier's mouth dropped open as he looked at Orleans's bandages and still somewhat pale face, thinking this is "almost recovered"? If that's considered almost recovered, then what am I? I don't even deserve to stay at this Warm Fire Temple!

The nurse chuckled: "Why rush to leave? Your recovery status doesn't count if you say so, nor does it if I say so. Unless Captain Linda says you can leave the temple, you can't go anywhere."

Orleans seriously looked at her, saying: "But I have urgent matters, I can't stay here long."

"...What urgent matters? You little rascal, you don't intend to involve yourself in those court negotiations, do you?" A voice sounded, accompanied by a swift figure entering the room.

"Ah, Captain Linda!" The nurse immediately stood up straight and saluted.

Linda appeared somewhat haggard, but her eyes still sparkled brightly.

She nodded to the nurse first, then looked at Orleans: "Didn't I just tell you yesterday, there's no need for you to worry about the court negotiations, worrying is useless. Besides, Warm Fire City has already selected someone to replace you..."

As she said this, Linda's expression was a bit peculiar.

As an upper-tier, nearly top-level figure at Tier Seven in the Commerce Association, she naturally knew that the so-called replacement was indeed Andrew.

Linda certainly held Andrew in high regard. She still remembered when Andrew proposed the "replenish physical ability before healing" theory at the Shield of Flowing Fire, which had a significant impact on the entire Warm Fire Temple's medical system and treatment philosophy.

Since Andrew went to Warm Fire City, news about him gradually trickled back, making Linda genuinely happy for Andrew.

However, overall, Linda, like nearly everyone else, saw Andrew as a rear-type, support-type talent.

"Just recently, hearing that Andrew was replacing Orleans to go with Miss Three to the Royal Court, I thought it was someone with the same name." Linda recalled her shock upon receiving this news, "The upper echelons have their reasons for such a decision, so Andrew isn't just proficient in healing and support, but... also battle-capable?"

Linda knew well Andrew could endure a beating, having been a witness when the Female Assassin attempted to assassinate him.

But Linda never associated "Andrew" with the concept of "battle-capable."

When Orleans heard "someone is replacing you," his eyes flickered.

He shook his head: "Are you referring to that Andrew? Sorry, I don't believe he can handle my job. Even though I'm injured, I'm still a better professional partner for Miss Three than he is. His profession overlaps with Miss Three's, they don't complement each other."

Unlike Lawrence, Orleans seemed to be stating the facts without any hostility when suggesting Andrew wasn't up to par.

But precisely because it seemed so straightforward, it indicated that he genuinely thought Andrew wasn't capable!

When Orleans said, "even though I'm injured, I'm still more suitable," he genuinely meant it!

However, Linda didn't comment, merely shrugged, smiled: "That's outside my expertise. Determining who is more suited to be Miss Three's professional partner for the court negotiations, you should discuss with the concerned parties."

Concerned parties?

After a long gaze outside, Orleans finally turned back. "When can I leave the temple? I feel almost better now."

No sooner had he spoken than the young soldier's mouth dropped open as he looked at Orleans with his bandaged body and still pale face, thinking is this "almost better"? If this is almost better, then what am I? I don't even deserve to stay in this Warm Fire Temple!

The nurse chuckled: "Why are you in such a hurry to leave the temple? Your recovery status doesn't matter if you say it, nor does it if I say it. Unless Captain Linda says you can leave the temple, you won't go anywhere."

Orleans looked seriously at the nurse, "But I have urgent business, I can't stay here longer."

"...Urgent business? You little brat, don't tell me you're planning on being part of the Royal Court negotiations?" A voice interrupted as a figure briskly walked in.

"Ah, Captain Linda!" The young nurse immediately stood at attention and saluted.

Linda looked somewhat fatigued, yet her eyes were still bright.

She told the young nurse: "Didn't I tell you just yesterday? There's no need for you to worry about the Royal Court negotiations because being worried won't help. Besides, you don't need to worry about it. We've already decided that a young man will replace you as Miss Three's professional partner."